Hello Stuttgart - Do you want to meet me tomorrow, August 31 as I give you a personal tour of the Breuninger pop up design shop where Jonathan Adler will now be stocked? I’ll be there as a fiend to Jonathan and his European team to welcome you to this lovely event where we introduce Stuttgart to who Jonathan is as a designer, what he stands for, and the amazing products that he creates that bring a burst of happiness and glamour to your everyday.

Jonathan won’t be there but his products will be - and I’m happy to help you if you need assistance in shopping for your home in the Brueninger POP UP design shop. It would be fun to help you and to be your personal design assistant in any way that I can! I can’t wait to show you some of my favorite things, take photos together, and just be part of this lovely event centered around my favorite thing - INTERIORS!

The event begins at 13:00 and wraps up around 17:00uhr (I will leave earlier, so to meet me, it’s best that you arrive between 13-16uhr since I’ll be floating around the store after that to shop and see more of Brueninger since it will be my first time there! I can’t wait, the store seems to be a much loved shop in Stuttgart so I’m naturally thrilled to be invited as a special guest for this event.

When you enter the store, ask for the design POP UP shop, which is on the ground level, and I’ll be there with all of my friends and surrounded by the beautiful designs of Jonathan Adler and the other brands that are part of this fabulous new POP UP concept at Breuninger. I can’t wait to meet you! See you tomorrow!

It’s time again for me to go to FORMLAND in Denmark this August to meet up with my good friend Stefan Nilsson (trendstefan) to see the sights and listen in on what the Scandinavians have to say about design up north. I really enjoy this fair and can’t wait until opening day on August 15th. Won’t you join me?

WHY FORMLAND

At Formland as a visitor, you can get an overview of the all the latest in Scandinavian design today and in the months ahead under one roof with 450 exhibitors in 10 halls including Hübsch, Normann Copenhagen, Georg Jensen, Kay Bojesen, Lyngby, Kähler, Holmegaard, Stelton, Humdakin, OYOY, Woud, HAY and more. I love meeting with the many exhibitors and agents face-to-face because I spend so much time online and appreciate just hanging out in person with people, listening to their stories and seeing what excites them at the moment.

TREND ZONE LOVE

I am always inspired too by the experts and stylists at the Trend zones. For the August fair, the annual Studio FLYHELSTED Trend Zone I’m excited about is called VÆRKET and will be in HALL D. I love the trend zone these two ladies put on, always so good! It’s about contrasts and the meeting between place between the handmade and the industrial, between global climate awareness and local and close relations. What does that meeting place, that middle point, look like? We’ll see in a few months.

Of course, SELECTED BY in Hall E is back again (I love this hall!) and this time, they have developed a concept where four experts on trends in Denmark will create their own environment showcasing their trend predictions. They all have selected beautiful products from exhibitors of the fair, which they later have styled. I am proud to see this happen because I always thought these stands work best when you can personally experience the creativity of talented trend spotters as they themselves style their own display. I can’t wait to see how this idea transpires.

TREND FOOD CRUSH

I am also excited to see one particular Trend cafe this time called Café Composé in HALL H created in cooperation with HØEG+MØLLER. The inspiration behind the concept is a tendency where anything goes. A composite universe where colors, forms, patterns and materials are being mixed. Eclectic is in! There are other beautiful cafes to eat at at the fair too, in fact this fair as the best spots to eat out of all of the fairs that I’ve been to in Europe because they are all very trendy and themed with great food and lots of healthy, fresh options.

In addition to trend cafes, the trend zone, and all of the great exhibitors, there is also the food hall! Oh the food hall! I go there usually at the end of the day on Saturday before I officially leave the fair. It’s my final treat to myself. I sample licorice, teas, chocolates and a myriad of other things and chat up the vendors. Some offer me some wine, which I always accept gladly on the final day before signing off!

LECTURES

Oh and yes…. Another great pleasure are the talks and panels - I’ll be leading one in English about Trends with a few of my friends. My panel isn’t listed yet on the website, but I think my spot will be on Friday. I’ll let you know on July 31 here on the blog the exact details and who my guests will be. This year I read an English lecture about PANTONE colors will be given, I have to look for the details on that, but I’ll definitely be attending that one.

WE CARE EXPO

There will also be a very special spotlight on sustainability at this fair. “Let us take you on a zero waste journey at the brand new ‘We Care’ expo in hall E.” Doesn’t this sound interesting? Formland has teamed up with selected exhibitors to shine a spotlight on zero waste achieved by sustainable production methods like recycled plastic, glass, paper textiles, etc. I personally want to see an end to the use of SO MUCH PLASTIC. It drives me crazy!!!

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Formland is a closed trade fair for the design and interior industry and reserved for professionals with registered companies. If you are a blogger in the design niche or a journalist, you are most certainly invited to attend. Getting there from northern Germany is very easy, I take the train from Hamburg to Flensburg to Fredericia and then to Herning. I can work on my laptop and chill and I like that. But you can also fly from Germany or from any other point in the world. You can fly to Midtjyllands Airport or Billund.

ME ME ME ME

OKAY so I’ll be at Formland on the 15th, 16th and 17th - speaking most likely on the 16th about trends with my panel guests. I can’t wait to see you - so please try to get there and let’s have coffee or come say hello at my lecture or if you see me walking around!

Hello dear friends! How are you? Yes, you read the post title correctly - I’m going to Sibiu, Bogatu Român, Bran and Avrig in Transylvania, Romania tomorrow morning for 4 days with some good blogger friends (Niki, Mette, Igor, Agata and Desiree) sponsored by TISCA rugs!

TISCA is an Austrian rug company that has a factory there that we’ll tour and, a very exciting part for me is this: we each get the chance to weave a small rug on the loom! Yippee! That is one of the best parts of the trip for me - to be in the factory and to experience rug making personally. I hope to do a good job and craft something nice enough to display on the wall in my home vs. a total eyesore. :) I would really love to make something special that I can cherish and say, “HEY I MADE THAT!”. There is no better feeling than to display something at home that you, or someone you love, made with their own two hands.

TISCA rugs on floors and walls at Domotex 2018

A little back story about TISCA and how this whole thing started… I met the TISCA team at Domotex in Hannover this past year (and also last year too), through my job at the fair. Also, the other bloggers coming met them at the fair too so I am so happy to be reunited soon with my European blogger pals on this great trip.

You may also remember the name of this brand from my blog when, in 2018, TISCA appeared in a roundup of my favorite stands at Domotex. In fact, that very year, they had one of the most photographed stands at Domotex thanks to the design talent of Lotta Agatan and Pella Hedby from Sweden (Pella’s home tour and an interview will be on decor8 this Friday, June 14th so stay tuned!). Do you remember this post? That is the TISCA stand designed by Lotta and Pella…

Live sustainability, take on social responsibility and create jobs where for decades there have been none. Although these may be empty phrases elsewhere, they are a way of life at TISCA.

— TISCA

I have no clue what to expect in Romania as far as life and culture - but I’m about to find out and you can follow along on my Instastories and on my Instafeed starting tomorrow, 10 June until Friday the 14th of this week. All of my content this week on Instagram will be about my travels to Romania with my blogger friends so please follow me @decor8 on Instagram to see more (especially follow my stories there because I’ll put all of the behind-the-scenes stuff there, including our tour of the famous Dracula Castle and also Brukenthal Castle.)

TISCA rug samples on the wall, aren’t they beautiful?

TISCA rugs, established in 1963, are all handmade, which is something I’m very proud to journey all the way to Transylvania to witness firsthand. “From 26 structures and 96 colours, skilled weavers create a collection for individualists. High-quality new wool from New Zealand sheep, custom sizes, durability as well as reversibility are further specialities of TISCA Austria.”

I want to wish you all a fabulous start to a new week and again, follow me on Instagram this week to see the things we see and do in Romania with TISCA.

I am so excited to announce something I’ve been holding in as a secret for a few months - that I’m a judge for The Etsy Design Awards (aka The Etsies)! This is Etsy’s first-ever global award program which honors the work of sellers from around the world and across multiple categories. Submit your favorite piece – handcrafted, designed or vintage – for a chance to win $15,000 USD, a dazzling Etsie trophy, and more.

The Awards will highlight the highest quality items found on Etsy and celebrate the talented people behind the winning products. With the help of a panel of 7 celebrity judges - including me, Garance Doré and Sophie Robinson, among others, one Etsy seller will be crowned the Etsy Design Award Grand Prize Winner, while five others will be named Etsy Design Award Winners in each featured category.

Earth-Friendly (Items made using sustainably produced materials, items made using sustainable processes, products that encourage sustainable habits & lifestyle, items that are recyclable or biodegradable)

If your item is vintage or one-of-a-kind, we require that you put this item on hold from the time you enter until finalists are announced in August. If your vintage or one-of-a-kind item sells during this period, your submission becomes void.

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN until 28th May 2019, at 11:59 pm ET (29th May at 4.59 am UK time). Finalists will be notified no later than 1st August 2019 and winners will be announced in September 2019.

Etsy will narrow down all the applicants to a maximum of 175 total finalists across the five categories. After the initial review, the Etsy Design Awards judging panel (my job along with the others!) will be reviewing and selecting finalists to determine the five Category Winners and the Grand Prize Winner.

German interview with me about The Etsy Design Awards in COUCH magazine

Today I’m talking to Blog royalty and total girl boss Joy Cho from Oh Joy! based in Los Angeles, California and I’m so happy to share insights from Joy about her life and work along with photos of her work space and shots of some of her designs. God, I like to learn how successful think, don’t you?

I first “discovered” this amazing lady through blogging wayyyyyy back in the dinosaur age, in 2005, about 4 months before I started this blog. We even spoke on the phone back then (no smart phones then, remember, most people still used a phone IN THE HOUSE) a few times. I remember one call, she was living in Philly and struggling with whether or not to relocate back to NYC for work. She decided not to, and put her focus on her blog. SMART MOVE.

Years later, Joy doesn’t need to rely on anyone or any location - she is a total BOSS who works with dozens of brands and is herself a brand - Oh Joy! designs for companies all over North America but the most impressive to me was her collab with Target - one of the most beloved chains in the United States. I am totally proud of her because she’s one of the few bloggers from back then who still keep in touch with me and who make time to reply to messages in spite of all of her success. You wouldn’t believe how many big bloggers don’t make that personal connection anymore, ignoring Insta messages, etc. NOT JOY. She’s on the ball and keeps it real. That’s one thing of many that I love about her.

Anyway, I had a chat with Joy and asked her a few things about her space, her business and how blogging changed her life. Wanna listen in?

So tell me, what is Oh Joy! mainly doing these days as a business?

Oh Joy! is a lifestyle brand that includes both daily editorial content and a design studio with a wide range of licensed products including home decor, baby & nursery, pet and accessories. Our goal is to bring joy to people every day in a variety of ways.

Have you ever thought to start your own company designing products under an Oh Joy! label, or do you prefer licensing and collaborating with more established brands?

I have manufactured my own product in the past, but for now, I prefer to partner with established brands that already make great products that I support and would love to work with. Licensing allows me to have my hands in a variety of different categories that I wouldn’t be able to design if we manufactured it all ourselves.

Oh Joy! Desk

What do you enjoy most about your job each day?

My very favorite thing about having this job is that I’ve built a business from nothing doing the things I love. I have grown a talented team who I couldn’t do all of this without, and I get to show my daughters that you can be whatever you want to be with a lot of hard work and dedication to your passion.

Where do you see Oh Joy! in 5 years?

I would love to continue to grow our product collaborations into clothing (both for kids and for women), and I’d love to be able to get back to consulting for small business in some way.

You started off as a blogger, like me. How did blogging changed your life?

I started my blog in 2005 as a place to keep my inspirations during a time when I had a lot of transition - new apartment, new city, newly engaged, and job hunting! The site slowly became read by more and more people and it helped me to be able to launch my own design studio due to the clients I was getting from people who read the blog. It really changed the course of my career forever.

Oh Joy! Executive Office

Blogging has changed SO MUCH since the early days though, what do you miss most?

I miss the interactivity of it. Blogs were king back in the day, and now we have Instagram and other social media sites that take up more of everyone’s daily attention. It’s the same interaction but you get it in different places and in different ways now. Everyone wants quicker and faster these days, so some of the content we could do 10 years ago isn’t the same as how people digest information now. It’s ever-evolving, and I do my best to keep up with what makes sense for now rather than live in the past.

What is your ultimate Oh Joy career dream? What would you love to do?

Oh Joy Mini Van, Oh Joy Airplane, Oh Joy Hotel ;)

Wow, you aim high! But you must have some lows. What do you battle with that you have to fight on a regular basis?

There is always the juggle to make every part of my life work—I have a very busy full-time job, a team to lead, children to raise into good humans, and a personal life which I'm trying to maintain on some level with friends and family. I think this will always be an on-going struggle but I do my best to let others help where I can and prioritize what’s most important.

Oh Joy! Craft Room

Oh yes, #momlife. I totally understand the juggle. Tell us, for you, what have been some joys of motherhood?

Oh man, my favorite things are seeing how my kids pick up on what I teach them—whether it’s something I realize they are learning from me or not. They love to dance and I find them imitating my terrible dance moves. But it’s so cute on them!

I think you have some good moves Joy. In fact, I notice you dancing on your Instagram Stories all of a sudden and often. Good for you. So, what are some things you were surprised to learn about being a mom?

Children are always watching and always mimicking behavior. I probably knew this before I was a mom, but seeing my children say things I say or use my gestures/walk like me, etc. is really wild. It makes me very aware of the things I say in front of my kids and the way I behave. Of course, it makes me want to be a great example for them and inspire them!

Oh Joy! Office with Mural

What are some of the things no one told you about parenting that you’re glad they didn’t!?

They never tell you how emotionally exhausting it can be. Sometimes every single part of you is drained, but you can’t just stop and not parent. You’ve got to be “on” and helping these little humans become good people—it’s not easy!

Yes, I hear ya. But you do a great job momming, Joy. So now, I have to ask you about your space, because it’s so cute. What do you enjoy most about it?

We love the new(ish) Oh Joy! studio because we have tons of space as compared to our old studio. It’s large and open but has clearly defined sections to maximize use for everyone’s work. Once we established various sections of the office, it made sense for me to have an "executive" office since I am in meetings and phone calls a lot and for the styling/craft team to have room in the back where they could work on messier projects and have easy access their everyday supplies. There is one larger space where more than half of the Oh Joy! team (design, e-commerce, social media, and admin) spends their day. We also have common areas like our kitchen and dining table that we use daily

Oh Joy! Kitchen

Oh Joy! Kitchen

Tell us more… Who designed it?

We have several spaces in our studio - the Craft Room, the Shoot Space, the Kitchen, the Main Office, and my Executive Office. The Craft Room was designed by the IKEA Home Tour Squad, and they used IKEA kitchen items to make it totally functional and amazing! The Kitchen, Main Office and Executive Office were designed by my talented friend, Sarah Sherman Samuel, who worked with my inspiration of Oh Joy! color and whimsy to make it just the right mix of sophisticated and whimsical.

What features in the space do you love the most and why?

I love the mix of openness that makes it feel airy and easy for everyone to communicate but also the clear division of sections. Our previous space was one open area so if one area was messy or in the middle of a project you could see it from anywhere, now it’s easier to content the beautiful messes when we need to have clients or visitors to the space and everyone can still go about their daily work.

Oh Joy! Main Office

Okay, quickly… Favorites!

Color?

GOLD

Guilty Pleasure?

Massages once a month!

Meal?

Fried Chicken Sandwich from Howlin’ Rays

And before I go, one product that you designed last year really caught my eye, your new WASHABLE rugs. I can’t tell you much I think this concept rocks! Tell us more…

We have partnered with Lorena Canals (whose rugs we have used in the studio for years because we love the colors and patterns) to make a collection of HAPPY Rugs! We have six patterns: Happy Hills, Happy Lanes, Happy Prism, Happy Day, Happy Party, and Happy Daisies. Each are about 4.5' x 6.5’ and the very best part of all Lorena Canals rugs - they’re machine washable. Perfect for kids, pets, and honestly everyone! Just throw your rug in the washer - it’s that easy! (Note: You can buy them online here.)

Thank you so much Joy for visiting us today on decor8, lovely to have you here and wish you a wonderful and delightful year and also, much luck on your first home the building project! Readers, Joy is building her first home in LA and she is documenting every detail on video HERE - don’t miss it! Also, Joy just started teaching online and created Oh Joy! Academy so definitely check out her classes HERE.

FORMLAND is nearly here, I can’t believe it. You’ve heard me talking about it on Instagram for the past several weeks and also, there is a whole page in my new magazine (Living At Home + Holly) on page 67 with a special 75% off coupon, but if you still don’t know about Formland and if you don’t already have tickets, then get some as soon as possible and meet me there! You can easily drive up from Germany (or fly or take a train) to HERNING, DENMARK and see the most inspiring Nordic design fair together with me and so many others who are scouting this fair to find the latest and the greatest. I LOVE THIS FAIR, it’s where I find things that no one else has seen yet, and that’s always such a fun and exciting way to kick off a new year.

HIGHLIGHTS

This is my third time at Formland and I’m so happy to once again visit and see the fair and discover new design since this fair has something very special included - the CREATORS COMMUNITY, a hall (Hall E) full of 50 young talents! I can’t wait to see what these “newcomers” have to show us. I get invited to work at over 20 fairs each year, but I only attend about 5 because I have a young son - so I have to choose VERY carefully. Formland is my top choice so far because it’s so well done and the fair organizers are so nice and kind to me - but also the brands whom I meet on the fair - they are always so excited to see me and look at my fair reports on my blog after or on my Instagram during the fair - to see how I’ve shown their brand on my social media. I love to help people to find a larger audience, so it’s fun for me to be at a fair and to shine light on people through my networks online who are talented, who I believe in. At many stands, the actual makers are present, and I love meeting them and hearing what’s new. I also love the friendly, open spirit at the fair, the joy that can be felt in the air, the concept pop-up cafes, the trend zone (which I find to be one of the best in Europe), and that nearly all of my favorite brands are exhibiting there.

What’s not to love.

HEAR US TALK ABOUT TRENDS

Also, I’ll be leading a discussion with two trend experts, Stefan Nilsson (Trendstefan) and Mads Arlien-Søborg (We Made It), to talk about international trends for 2019, we will take the stage on Saturday, 2 February at 15:00 and the talk will be in English. You can join our discussion and relax with us while we talk about one of our favorite topics for 30 minutes.

SEE YOU IN HERNING

Will I see you this weekend in Herning? The fair runs from 31 JANUARY - 3 FEBRUARY, I will be there the 2nd and 3rd, so if you see me in the Halls, please stop me and say hello. I’ll also have a mini trend presentation in the trend area called SELECTED BY, so look for it and see what you think! I’ve gathered a small collection of some of my favorite products from the fair, and I hope that you will love them as much as I do.